Obsession... What's That? I Just Wish Someone Would Help Me Escape - Chapter 81
The Crown Prince Sirius from the original story had been plagued by intense inferiority due to his failure to gain powers.
Eventually, using Justina’s love for him, he received divine power from her deity, securing his place as Crown Prince. However, he planned to marry a princess from an allied kingdom rather than Justina.
A princess whose lineage traced back to one of the five great demonic families, a union meant to ensure strong offspring with supernatural abilities.
In return for granting Sirius divine power, Justina sacrificed her own lifespan.
Sirius repaid her self-sacrificing devotion with ultimate betrayal.
And before her remaining years could even be lived, she met an untimely death.
After regressing, Justina, gripped by betrayal and resentment, vowed revenge on him.
Following the revolution, when the empire’s key figures were executed, the heir, Crown Prince Sirius, was sentenced to hang.
But Justina, refusing to let him die easily, kidnapped him and imprisoned him in an abandoned tower.
“Oh, the puppy? I’m raising an adorable poodle in the tower.”
She spoke with a bright smile, reducing the once-proud prince to nothing more than her pampered little pet.
Calming herself from her earlier surprise, Justina wore a serene smile as she continued.
“My little dog is quite the spoiled one. Arrogant and aloof, I haven’t fully trained him yet. I’m still patiently working on that.”
“Hmm.. Training…?”
In my mind, I pictured the Saintess trampling on the prince’s back, whip in hand.
Her calm, sweet demeanor belied a woman who was anything but ordinary… Maybe she’d let me join?
As I was savoring the thought, Justina gently took my hand and helped me to my feet. “Since I came here to stabilize the powers of Numbers 1 and 2, you should join in as well. It’s best to take care of this before the winners’ matches.”
“All together?”
“Yes.”
Wasn’t edification supposed to be a one-on-one thing? Since when was it a group affair?
I hadn’t planned on getting roped into this. But, true to her open-minded nature, she fit the mold of a mature romance heroine.
More likely, she just wanted to avoid a private conversation with me.
I let a wry smile creep across my face.
“Alright then. Let’s gather everyone and open up a lively discussion about your precious little puppy.”
Her previously relaxed smile tensed, though just slightly.
It was clear that she sensed exactly why I had brought it up.
She shrugged.
“Come to think of it, that’s a personal matter. Let’s discuss it separately. It seems it could be quite a long conversation.”
Leaning close to her ear, I whispered.
“Aren’t you curious how I know about this? I’ll tell you everything if you arrange for me to be in the last match.”
Considering the shady alliances involved in the Winners’ Match, hosted by the sect’s prison, it seemed more than plausible that certain influential figures were pulling strings from outside. Between Number 25’s reactions and my subtle probing of Damian, I had reached my conclusion.
No doubt, Grandis had anticipated my attempt to manipulate things in my favor, likely securing help from someone to secretly rearrange the order.
So, if I could bring in someone untouchable—someone like Justina, one of the highest authorities in the sect—no one else would be able to interfere.
I pressed a small slip of paper into her hand.
“Oh, and please place this prisoner in the first match.”
The number “8” indicating Grandis scrawled across it.
It was laughable, the sight of a lowly beastwoman issuing commands, yet Justina’s expression didn’t waver.
If anything, her gentle smile felt almost as if she were humoring me.
“No problem; it’s not a national tournament, after all. This is merely a public event for entertainment. Come see me once the matches begin.”
